Cartridge belt feeding mechanism



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3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l1 1| lllllmllllllll Edwin H- 'Wull/i E July 3, 1951 E. HY WALTKE CARTRIDGE BELT FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 15, 1943 July 3, 195i E. H. WALTKE 2,558,301

CARTRIDGE BELT FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. l5, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet il y gif/! 5 July 3, 1951 Original Filed Dec. 15, 1943 E. H. WALTKE CARTRIDGE BELT FEEIDING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. an-

grvua/Yvbofb Edwin P1. Wulke Patented July 3, Y1951 Original application December 15, 1943, Serial No. 514,359, now Patent No'.'2,410,848, dated November 12, 1948. Divided and this'application June 20, 1946, Serial No. 677,948

8 Claims. (C1. 89-33) (Granted under the act of Marche; 1883, as amended April 30, 1928;'370 O. Gr. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of my royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a cartridge belt feeding mechanism for a multi-barrel machine gun of the reciprocating breech block type.

An object of the invention is to provide a cartridge belt feeding mechanism that will be capable of feeding cartridges to a machine gun operable at a high rate of speed.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a mechanism that operates in synchronism with the operation of a rapidly moving breech block, to quickly and accurately position each cartridge adjacent its barrel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism that is simple in construction and durable in operation, and having a minimum number of parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 514,359, filed December 15, 1943, for a Multiple Barrel Machine Gun, now Patent 2,410,848 dated November 12, 1946.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure l is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view of a gun equipped with my` belt feeding mechanism, taken on the line l-l of Figure 2,

Figure 1a is a similar view ofthe forward continuation of the gun, taken on the line la-Ia of Figure 2a,

FigureZ is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof, taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 2a is a similar view of the forward continuation of the gun, taken on the line 20L-2a of Figure 1a,

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view, taken on the-line 3 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the lined-4 of Figure 2a,

Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary trans--A verse sectional views showing the progressive advancement of the cartridge belt during several recoil and counter-recoil strokes of thebreech block,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the slide plate; and

Figure 11 is a perspective view of one cartridge clip, with the belt in dotted lines.

The construction and operation of the present nates the receiver of the gun, having a front plate- This plateA 2 secured to it by screws 2', Figure 1. has four circular openings 3` for the passage of the breech portions of four identical barrels 4, which are threaded into theA receiver as at 5, Fig. 2. vided'with a stationary barrel-brace fwhich has preferably integral therewith, four parallel cylinders l, through which the barrel ends extend.

The barrels are preferably slightly reduced ndiameterat their muzzle ends as at 8, Fig. 1a,

forming shallow shoulders 8 against which the rear ends of the .cylinders 1 abut. Threadedv portions 9, ofthe barrels receive knurled nuts 9 thatare screwed against thel forward ends of-the cylinders'and serve to firmly secure the barrels to-,the' stationary barrel-brace, of which thev cylinders form an integral part.

There'are four bores I0 (see Fig. 2a) in the body of thev barrel-brace, each-in communication' with a barrel bore through gas portsv I0 which register with short'radial conduits I0 in the'forward endof the barrel-brace 6. a bore for each barrel, and parallel with each barrel, and each bore contains a long piston ll, each one of which is'secured at its rear end to a connector-headl2, co'mmon'to all the pistons.v The bores` I9 are of such length as to accommodate the pistons, andat the Sametime provide gas chambers; H6 (Fig. 2a) for receivingthe gas for moving the pistons and theparts actuated thereby. The normal position of the'head l2 is against the rear end of the` stationary barrel-brace 6, with the pistons inside the brace. The foregoing description covers certain details of a gun disclosed in mypatent, hereinbefore identified, and arenot a part of the present invention, being merely used for the purpose of illustrating one application of-v the invention. For example a disclosed `in my co-pendingapplication.

Two identicallaterally extending arms i3 (Fig.

la) are integral with the rear end of the stationarybarrel-brace 6, andin their extremities are oscillatably 'mounted voppositely disposed The muzzle ends of the barrels are pro-` There is parallel belt-feed-rods I4, of which there are two, each provided with a helical cam groove I5. The hubs I6 of a reciprocable cross head |1, surround the rods I4, and pins I8 secured in the hubs enter the grooves I5 to cause oscillation of the rods during reciprocation of the crossV head. The cross head |1 is always against the rear face of the connector-head I2, it being held there by a breech-block drive rod spring 3J. as, will more fully appear.

The belt-feed-rods I4 extend rearwardlyv fora considerable distance beyond the fr ont end o f the receiver, and their rear ends have bearings in brackets I8' mounted on identical sidev plates., I9, that close the feed slots in the sides i' the receiver and house important mechanism that will now be described.

The rear end of each rod carries as p iniQll 2|)y arranged to engage racks 2| ot identical feed; slides 22, mounted for simultaneous vertical movement inside the said housing plates,v and within the recesses or guideways |20 of the receiver. I.

Mounted, for reciprocation Within the receiver I isa breech block 23,having a drive rod 21|V securedr thereto. At its forward end the drive rod is secured centrally to the cross head I1. The helical spring 3| surrounds the breechblock drive rod; 24 andis interposed between the cross head Il and the face of a vertical bossv32,vintegral with the front; face o fjthe front plate 2 ofthe receiver. This spring returns the breech block to battery positionk and normally holds the cross, head |1y against the connector head I2, and consequently returnsthe cross head to its forward position.

Adjacent the upperY andr lower front' corners of' thebreechblocl, arepivoted. four cartridge feed pawls4x3,` the pawls being pivoted-l in recesses in which aresprings 44, acting upon the pawlsto keep themy normally slightly extended beyondgthe. lateral edgesof the breech block in position to engagetheir appropriate cartridgeto forcethem out of their. clips andinto,theappropriatechamber inthe barrel, as the breech block. moves for--v Ward;

The upper andlower laterallyA extending por,-v

tions ofthe breechblock are provdedrespectively with downwardly opening grooves v45; and similar upwardly opening grooves, 46, for the passage`V and `guidance `offour identical ejector rodsr 41 and 4,8', secured to the receiver, the arrangement being such that the headsV of all the cartridgel shellsl ejectors and the shellheads will forcefully4 tilt` the shells andV eject thosefrom the upper barrels, out; ofV upper receiver openingsr 5 0, andthose from.

the lower barrels downwardly through lower openings 5| of the receiver.

As`v hereinbefore shown, there are two,v belt-,-

feed-rods rotatablyV mounted intheendsofthe laterally extending arms I3 of the stationary barrel-brace 6, each having a helicai cam ,groove I5 entered by aV pin I8'in the hubs I6gof cross headl I1, through whichV hubs the rods slidably,v

pass so that oscillatory movementr is given thev rods upon reciprocation of the cross head,jwhich. through pinions 20, engaging racksV 2| on oppositely disposed feed slides 22, causesthe vertical reciprocation of'said slides.V The slidesmove vertically in the recesses or guideways |20,in thevsides of` the receiver.. The feed", slides and;-

4 cartridge belts are identical and description of one will serve for both. The slide (Figure 10) comprises a plate |2I, having a central vertical recess |22 for the reception of the rack 2| which may be secured tothe pla-te. by short screws |23. The plate has a rectangular opening |24 in its upper portion to make a clearance for a resilient feed pawl |25, whose upper end is fastened, by anyv suitable means, in a recess similar to the recess |22 that receives the rack.

rlfhe cartridge belt (see Figure 1l) comprises a strip |2i of suitable flexible material, to which is attached at appropriate intervals, sufficiently resilient metallic clips |21 having lips |28 to grip thecartridges, and tabs |29 that are bent sharply around the flexible strip to fasten the clips to the flexible strip |26. The upper edges of the bent tabsY form a long shoulder |36, engaged by the lower edge of thefeedpawl E25A upon the downward movement of the feed slide, to feed the cartridges when the slide is operated in feeding direction, by the belt-feed-rod. The two slidesand the cartridges b to thelower barrelsthe-belt,

moving the distance of two cartridge spacings uponeach downwardmovement. By. feeding. the belt adistance ofgtwo,cartridges/spacings on each receiprocationof the feed slide itis possible for the cartridges to be placed closetogether, and` at sblQh distancesthat,thefeed pawls 43 on-the receiver, will`strip.off alternate cartridges from` the beltj Thus bothupperand lower barrels on onev side of' the gun are fed from the .samebelu When, thercartridges reach the levels ofthe barrel', bores, they, are forced forwardby the, cartridge feed pawls 43 on the breech., block, and stripped fr omtheir clips, which sustain them both laterally andlongitudinally until their projectile .f

ends ,engage the inclinedwalls |3| of-,the receiver,

when a fur-ther movement. of thefbreechblockwill force them simultaneously. into the cartridge chambers .o f. the barrels;

The operationof the feed mechanism isasfol-v lows:

The cartridge belts; suitably supported from above. the receiver, are placed, in the receiver in position to be further fed by the -feedrslides The vflrstgroupof, cartridges. are fed to their respec tivebarrelsgbya vhand charging means fully, described in my aforesaid patent.

Therearwardmovement `of the breechk block drive rod 214| ,will causethecrosshead |1'to rotate the .beltfeed .rods- 4, which willithrough pinions 2|), operatethercartridgeffeedslides |12I.- downward to feed the cartridges to position to been gagedbythe cartridge feed paw=ls4,3. 0n the-rorward movements of` the brech block,4 the pawls simultaneouslyl engagev the four cartridgesv and strip them from their clips, and the breech block travellingVV furtherA forward will forcek the, projectile, ends` of i the cartridge against the l inclinedV taneously through ports I0 and conduits I0 to all of the bores l0, in which the pistons l I simultaneously reciprocate. The rear ends of the pistons are secured in the connector-head l2 and will force the connector-head i2 rearwardly against the cross-head ll, when gas from the barrel bores is received in the chambers il. During this movement of the cross-head, the pins I8 riding in the helical cam grooves I5, of rods id cause the cartridge belt to be fed downward.

On counter-recoil stroke of the breech block the breech block drive spring 3| forces the block, its drive rod 2d and the cross head Il forwardly and by the reverse movement of the pins i8 riding in the helical grooves l5, the rods lll are oscillated to raise the feed slides 22 to a position to engage another cartridge clip.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my inventiony or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a cartridge belt feeding mechanism for a multi-barrel machine gun provided with a receiver having recesses, a plurality of barrels xedly mounted in the receiver, and a breech block reciprocable in said receiver and common to all the barrels, said mechanism comprising a stationary member attachedto the barrels in advance of the receiver, belt fee-d rods journaled at their respective ends in said member and receiver, vertically reciprocable belt feed slides in the receiver recesses each slide being provided with a rack, a pinion xed on each feed rod engaging a respective rack whereby when the pinions are oscillated, said slides will be reciprocated, and connections between the breech block and said rods, said connections comprising a breech block drive rod xed to the breech block, at one of its ends, a cross-head fixed to the other end of said rod, and means on said cross head for oscillating said feed rods in response to reciprocation of said breech-block.

2. In a cartridge belt feeding mechanism for a machine gun provided with a receiver having vertically disposed recesses, barrels fixedlymounted in the receiver, and a breech block reciprocable in the receiver, said mechanism comprising a stationary member attached to the barrels in advance of the receiver, reciprocable means including a crosshead connected with the breech block for movement therewith, means carried by the stationary member for driving the reciprocable means and the breech block in recoil movement, belt feed rods passing through the crosshead and oscillatably mounted in the stationary member, vertically reciprocable belt feed slides in the receiver recesses each provided with a rack, pinions on the feed rods engaging the racks, there being helical grooves in the feed rods, and pins in the crosshead of said reciprocable means for engagement with the helical grooves whereby the feed rods and their pinions are oscillated when the breech block is reciprocated.

3. In a cartridge belt feeding mechanism for a machine gun provided with a receiver having recesses, spaced barrels iixedly mounted in the receiver, and a breech block reciprocable in said receiver, said mechanism comprising a stationary member attached to the barrels in advance of the receiver, reciprocable means including a crosshead connected with the breech block for movement therewith, gas operated means carried by the stationary member for driving the reciprocable means and the breech block in recoil movement, belt feed rods journaled in the stationary member and in the receiver, vertically reciprocable belt feed slides in the receiver recesses each provided with a rack, pinions on the feed rods engaging the racks, means carried by said slides for advancing the belt to present a cartridge to each barrel and means operated by reciprocation of said crosshead to oscillate said rod and pinions to thereby advance the slide a distance equal to two thirds of the distance between the barrels whereby alternate cartridges will be positioned opposite one barrel, while the remaining cartridges will be positioned opposite the other barrel.

4. In a cartridge belt feeding mechanism, the combination with a pair of barrels and a gun provided with a receiver having recesses formed therein, two cartridge carrying belts to be fed through the receiver recesses, a single breech block reciprocable in said receiver, said mechanism comprising a stationary member attached to the barrels in advance of the receiver, gas operated means within the stationary member for driving the breech block in recoil movement, and spring driven means between the receiver and the gas operated means for driving the breech block in counter-recoil movement, belt feed rods oscillatably mounted in the stationary member and having helical cam grooves formed therein, a crosshead carried by the spring driven means and having interengaging connections with the cam grooves in the feed rods whereby when the breech block is reciprocated the feed rods will be oscillated, a vertically reciprocable belt feed slide in each receiver recess adjacent the cartridge belt, pawls carried by the feed slides for engaging and advancing the cartridge belts, a rack carried by each slide, and a pinion on each feed rod engaging its respective rack whereby when the feed rods are oscillated the slides and their pawls will be reciprocated to advance the cartridge belts.

5. In a cartridge belt-feeding mechanism for a gun having a receiver, a barrel, and a breechblock reciprocable in said receiver, said mechanism comprising a belt feed rod having a helical groove therein, means journaling said rod in parallel adjacent relation with said barrel, a belt feed slide reciprocable in said receiver transversely of said rod, a rack on said slide, a pinion xed on said rod in mesh with said rack, means on said slide to engage and advance a cartridge belt through said receiver, and means to oscillate said rod in timed relation with reciprocation of said breechblock, said means comprising a crosshead slidable on said rod and having a pin engaging said helical groove, a rigid connection between said crosshead and said breechblock, and means responsive to gas pressure in said barrels for reciprocating said crosshead and breechblock and thereby oscillating said rod.

6. In a multi-barrel automatic gun, a receiver said passageway, a Vrack oneachslide, a Apair l of rods journaled on the right .and left sides, nrespectively, of said receiver, each said rod having a helical groove therein, a pinion xed on each rod and in mesh with a respective rack, a crosshead reciprocable along said barrels and rigidly Aconnected with said breechblock and having right and left apertures through whichsaid ,rods may slide, pins fixed in said crcsshead, each lengaging a respective groove in said rods, and means powered by gas pressure engendered by firing of said gun to reciprocate said breechblock and crosshead.

7. A gun as recited in claim 6, the bore Yaxes of each pair of barrels being vertically spaced .equal predetermined distances, successive clips ven said belts being spaced one-,third of said distance. each said detent means acting to advance `its belt two-thirds of said distance foreach Yreciprocation of said breechblock, whereby alternate cartridges of each belt are presented to the Vcorresponding upper barrel While the remaining cartridges are presented to the corresponding lower barrel.

8. The combination with an automatic gun having tvvo parallel barrels having their bore axes spaced a predetermined distance, a receiver and a single breechblock reciprocable to simultaneously ram cartridges into the Abreech chamber of both said barrels, of a cartridge belt having successive cartridge clips spaced one-third of said predetermined distance, and means operated by reciprocation of said breechblock in response toringofsaid gun to advance said belt through said Vreceiver two-thirds of said predetermined distance to successively present and load the cartridges in alternate clips into one said barrel and to successively present and load the cartridges in the remaining clips into the other said barrel.

EDWIN H. WALTKE.

REFERENCES 'CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED `STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1894 Great Britain Sept. 4, 1940 Number Number 

